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Riot, why haven't you done this yet?

ChaosThief··3 votes·747 views

A boot slot. No boots have active effects, everyone buys boots of some sort. It could give more options since ONE of the options isn't always boots.

Open to argument and feedback, as it might not be perfect.

19 Comments

YouLostMe4 votes

I'd be interested in this. Maybe a dev will comment.

ChaosThief1 votes

I'm hoping for a dev comment. Guessing it won't happen, but I have my fingers crossed.

Worgslarg2 votes

Or just remove boots from the game and give everyone the bonus movespeed on some kind of trinket enchant

JackYAqua1 votes

I actually like this idea more than a boot slot, but only because I fear 7 item champions ...
(Would champions then gets MS with levels?)

ChaosThief1 votes

It would be interesting, but what about the boot's bonus effects, like CD? Would we just lose those?

JackYAqua1 votes

Yes, I think. We'd get one whole new item slot, so I think we'd be able to come up with some way to replace the missing boots.
Of course Riot would have to add a new Tenacity item, and something to replicate NInja Tabi ... but other than that, it would be fine ^^
But god save us from the 6 item monsters, like Irelia and Singed and whatnot ...

ChaosThief1 votes

Better nerf irelia... again.

Angry Monster2 votes

cause selling your boots for an another item is a comment to a set strategy.

There ahve been a few lcs games where some people never bought boots the whole game. This is an unsual style but it does have its uses.

Also with triforce and zepher you can make up for the boot speed on certain melee champs.

These are the reasons why boots do not get there own slot. Cause while 99% of the games will have boots on everyone. Someone is going to rock your world and not get them at all. They will have more damage and or AS. they are willing to risk not getting away and just brawling with you every time.

ChaosThief1 votes

I suppose so. Some champions and people know how to deal without them, but most don't. It was a suggestion, more or less.

12tales1 votes

There are a few champs like Kassadin who can be built without boots. So, that's a consideration.

Mostly, though, I'd be curious to see how late game would be rebalanced. Imagine a Ryze with RoA, Seraph's, and Void Staff, but also Spirit Visage, Frozen Heart and GA. Or a six-defensive item Mundo. Also, even if every laner is farming equally, the change would widen the disparity between laners and junglers/supports late game, which could have dubious consequences.

It's an interesting idea, at least.

ChaosThief1 votes

I was thinking it would be fine since everyone would have the boot slot, so everyone would get 6 items + boots.

I guess certain champs are exceptions, but what about the other champs, like jinx, who can't really get away without boots?

MrBuffington1 votes

Would you also be making boots free, like trinkets? If you're making boots free like trinkets, then balance is incredibly difficult, since some boots are worth a lot more than others in terms of stats they offer. Honestly I think it's because boots offer non-negligible stats to a champion, whereas trinkets only affect vision (yes they can help certain champions in other ways, such as ward jumping, but for the most part, they aren't as vital to any specific champion). For example, Hecarim benefits a great deal from bonus move speed, where a lvl 6+ Kassadin could probably do just fine without the move speed.

Honestly, I don't see why there needs to be a boot specific slot; this argument is basically the same as adding an extra item slot. I can see where you're coming from where mobility, like vision, are basically universally sought after in champions, but vision was something that Riot wanted to have greater emphasis in the game, where no one really needs encouragement to prioritize mobility. Not to mention, mobility is a stat of the champion, not a factor outside of the champion that affect the game like vision does. Honestly I think it would make more sense for them to add an extra ward slot, rather than a boot slot (though I don't think they should do this). The argument seems to be the same as why Riot doesn't give each team another ban in Draft pick; it's to force people to do more with less.

ChaosThief1 votes

I was just thinking about a slot for them, not making them free.

I see your argument, and yes it could cause problems, and it wasn't really emphasized. Thank you for the feedback!

MrBuffington1 votes

No problem! Honestly I think item slots as well as number of bans is fairly arbitrary (though number of bans is naturally limited because they don't want people banning out a particular role completely), but I think since so much of the game is built around these numbers, it'll be difficult to change something as significant as boots without a major overhaul to the game system (every item would probably have to be rebalanced at least a little bit, not to mention certain champions, in addition to a lot of unforeseen changes to the map, etc). Basically, it'd probably be a very different game at this point.

ChaosThief1 votes

When I looked back I thought that they would have to start the entire game over practically to fit in boot slots without it causing problems, and I think I was right to think that.

Nukes1 votes

Making the trinket slot for boots might not be a bad idea. Upgrade the trinket when you want a higher move speed. The problem with that is it would make the hypercarries even harder to play against.. Could you imagine Master Yi with a full build and moving at 700 ms.

Or Katarina and her ult doing 1k damage to 4 people

I agree that movespeed is something that really needs to be worked on, but giving boots a slot of there own might be a bit much.

ChaosThief1 votes

I can see where you're coming from, but since everyone has one I don't think it would be that much of a problem, as both teams can pick hyper scaling characters like vayne, katarina, and master yi.

Perhaps it is a bit much, thanks for the feedback!

KingSmizzy1 votes

Having a boot slot either forces every champ to have boots and only 5 other item slots, or creates an additional slot for only boots and increases late game from 5 items to 6 items +boots. This would mean scaling champions would be even more ridiculous if it got to that point.

ChaosThief1 votes

Since anyone can pick a scaling champ, and everyone has a slot, I think this just rewards the people who are willing to try and get into that very late game.

I can see your argument, and yeah it could be a problem.

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